Margaret Alva rules out return to politics

Rajasthan governor Margaret Alva, a former leader of the Congress party, on Friday poured cold water on speculations over her return to active politics.

jaipurUpdated: Feb 22, 2014 15:20 IST

Aabshar H Quazi None

Rajasthan governor Margaret Alva, a former leader of the Congress party, on Friday poured cold water on speculations over her return to active politics.

“If I had to remain in active politics, I would not have become the governor of Rajasthan... I have grown old for active politics now,” said Alva, 71.

Talking to mediapersons on the sidelines of the fourth convocation of Rajasthan Technical University (RTU) in Kota, Alva said the speculations were triggered by the media.

When asked if the BJP was not interested in continuing with the projects launched by the previous Congress, she said the present Vasundhara Raje government had already passed a budget worth Rs 500 crore for the projects of the past government.

Alva, however, made it clear that she did not have any involvement in the government’s functioning.

She awarded gold medals among 52 recipients from different engineering streams who graduated in 2012 and 2013.

Alva conferred an honourary D Litt degree on Anand Krishnan, the chairman of the board of governors of Indian Institute of Technology- Kanpur, and National Research professor Govardhan Mehta.

She also laid foundation stone of a computer centre and modern classrooms at RTU. Alva met the ailing Congress leader Bhuvnesh Chaturvedi at a private hospital here.

Alva did not wear the convocation gown at RTU. When asked by the media, she said the gowns were suitable for low-temperature conditions in Europe. In a hot and humid country like India, these gowns were not needed, she added.

“I have already stopped wearing convocation caps and gowns, as they are too heavy to be worn,” she said.